Assembly-building.



Patented Dec. [8, I900.

v H. M. WILLIAMS, ASSEMBLY BUILDING.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1900.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

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wimp/cam H. m. WILLIAMS. ASSEMBLY BUILDING.

(A plication filed Apr. 3, 1900. (No Model.)

Patented Dec. l8, I900.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT Urrrcs.

HENRY M. WVILLIAMS, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTHTO FRANZ BURGER, OF SAME PLACE.

ASSEMBLY-BUILDING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,950, dated December 18, 1900.

Application filed April 3, 1900.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY M. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort \Vayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Assembly-Buildings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of buildings for use for assembly purposes, as musichalls, theaters, churches, 850., Where there is an audience-room; and my invention consists in the combination of supporting-girders with the walls of the audience-room, as fully set forth hereinafter, whereby to properly support a plurality of galleries, increasingthe floor area, and bringing the occupants of the upper gallery or galleries nearer to the stage or speakers platform, and whereby to secure a rigid, strong, and light support for the galleries and roof, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the assembly-building constructed in accordance with my invention. Figj2 is a plan view, one half of which shows the floor plan of the structure and the other half the first-gallery plan. I

The structure is provided with two galleries A B, and the upper gallery instead of coinciding at the forward portion or its front edge with that of the gallery below overhangs the latter throughout its entire extent-that is, the forward edge of the upper gallery overhangs the forward edge of the lower gallery at all points, so that those occupying seats in the upper gallery are brought nearer to the stage X both at the center and at the sides of the auditorium.

Inasmuch as the forward portion of the upper gallery cannot be supported by posts, I make use of a system of supporting-girders a a a (2, as shown, these girders being deep and of such strength that they can extend from one side wall to the other without intermediate supports. Between the girders aa 00 extend beams b, which support the level portions of the galleries, while inclined beams 0, extending between the girders a? a Serial No. 11,319. (No model.)

support the inclined portions of the galleries, which may be stepped, as shown, to form seats or supports for seats.

Where it is desirable to avoid the use of posts below the first gallery, there may be a like system of supporting-girders, and between the fioor of the first gallery and between the successive galleries partitions d may be arranged to separate the foyer from the auditorium. By these means I am not only enabled to bring the occupants of the upper galleries nearer to the stage, and thereby increase the value of this portion of the structure as an audience-room, but I also increase the door area, so that the building will accom modate a greater number of persons.

In some cases the forward edges of the galleries may be parallel to the main supportingbeams; but in most instances it is desirable to curve these edges, as shown in plan view, in which case there is used a curved front beam 01, correspondingto the desired contour of the edge of the gallery, the beam a in that case being also curved and serving, in connection with lightbeams b, to support the floor between the beams a a while radially-inclined beams c extend between the beam a which is a straight beam, and the curved beam 11 The roof maybe supported in any suitable manner; but when the walls are circular, as shown, in plan I prefer to make use of a strong central girder O, of angle-irons e e, braced in any suitable manner and extending from a post to a central point m above the top of the curtain-opening, where it is joined to and supported by the transverse beam E. There are other girders D, which have each an arched portion g springing from one of the posts 6 to a point y upon the curved portion of the girder O, the said arched portions g therefore all meeting at the point y and serving to brace and be braced by the girder 0, forming a strong light structure fully capable of sustaining the Weight of the roof and galleries.

The floor-space may be provided with seats arranged in any suitable manner, and suitable stairways may be arranged, as desired.

It will of course be understood that the number of the transverse girders will be in creased or diminished in proportion to the size of the structure.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim as my invention 1. An assembly-building provided with an audience-room having galleries, the upper gallery inclined at the forward portion and projecting throughout its length beyond the forward edge of the gallery'below, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in an assembly-building of asystem of transverse girders and cross-beams, the girders extending continuously between the side walls, lower curved girder a and inclined radiating beams c supporting the first gallery, and a second like system of girders and beams supporting the second gallery in a position with the forward portion of the second galleryove'rhanging and projecting beyond the forward portion of the firstgallery, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in an assembly-building of side walls and a system of supportinggirders consisting of straight transverse beams supported by the said walls, lower curved beams a a and cross-beams b, and radiating inclined beams a supporting the first gallery and a second like system supporting the second gallery, with the forward edge overhanging that of the first gallery, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY M. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

GEO. D. CRANE, J. BURGER. 

